Daewoo (UK: /ˈdeɪ.uː/ DAY-oo; US: /ˌdeɪˈwuː/ day-WOO; Korean: 대우; Hanja: 大宇; IPA: [tɛ.u]; literally "great universe" and a portmanteau of "dae" meaning great, and the given name of founder and chairman Kim Woo-choong) also known as the Daewoo Group, was a major South Korean chaebol (type of conglomerate) and automobile manufacturer.

Prior to the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Daewoo was the third largest conglomerate in South Korea, behind the Hyundai Group and Lucky-Goldstar (later became LG Corporation).

It increased access to resources, promoted exports, financed industrialization, and provided protection from competition to the chaebol in exchange for a company's political support.

In the beginning, the Korean government instigated a series of five-year plans under which the chaebol were required to achieve a number of basic objectives.

The company initially concentrated on labor-intensive clothing and textile industries that provided high profit margins because of South Korea's large and relatively inexpensive workforce.

The government responded to this change by concentrating its efforts on mechanical and electrical engineering, shipbuilding, petrochemicals, construction, and military initiatives.

Kim was reluctant to enter this industry, but Daewoo soon earned a reputation for producing competitively priced ships and oil rigs.

It expanded exports of machine tools, defense products (under the S&T Daewoo company), aerospace interests, and semiconductor design and manufacturing.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, the Daewoo Group also produced consumer electronics, computers, telecommunications products, construction equipment, buildings, and musical instruments.

[5] Soon after the demise, Kim Woo-choong fled to Vietnam, and former Daewoo factory workers put up wanted posters with his picture.

Daewoo Electronics survives to this day, despite bankruptcy, with a new brand logo "DE", but many of the other subsidiaries and divisions have become independent or simply perished.

In North America, Target stores market Daewoo Electronics products under their "Trutech" brand on an ODM basis.

[10] The brand stayed used by GM in various CIS countries where it had a strong presence such as Belarus,[11] Tajikistan,[12] Moldova,[13] Kazakhstan[14] and Uzbekistan[15] until the mid-2010s.

The most lavish is the 5-star Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, which cost US$163 million to build in 1996 and was decorated by Heeja with fine art, porcelain, sculptures, and marble.